Shutdown dims multi-national exercise, but training prevails

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho - A multitude of various aircraft and servicemembers have been busy at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, since Sept. 30 during the multinational combined-joint exercise dubbed Mountain Roundup 2013.

While much of the U.S. Federal Government has been shut-down since Oct. 1, the troops here have been busy "fighting" the exercise, which is part of the German Air Force Tornado Fighter Weapons Instructor Course Mission Employment (ME) Phase, and is scheduled to end Oct. 16.

Some components of the exercise were affected by the shut-down. For instance, assigned 366th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagles didn't partake, neither did the Air Guard units scheduled to participate.

Still, hundreds of German airmen and soldiers, Royal Canadian airmen, U.S. Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen still capitalized on the base and the 266th Range Squadron control and maintain emitter sites across almost 7,500-square miles of operational range space for a variety of training scenarios.

That access to airspace and ranges that allows for realistic, safe training and testing while providing the flexibility to accommodate the complexity of this multinational, multiservice exercise.

The end result to proper training is real-world employment.

Realistic training provides the U.S. and partnered warfighters with the combat edge.

Mountain Home has hosted the training since 2004 because the base has the right mix of air space, modern ranges and proficient personnel, which creates the perfect location for this type of combined-joint training.

"The end result of this exercise is a collection of warfighters from multiple nations and branches of services that are significantly more prepared to engage in coalition major combat operations," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Tapan Sen, 366th Fighter Wing Weapons and Tactics Flight commander.

In training for warfare, realism is paramount.

"Everybody brings different capabilities, so the challenge at Mountain Roundup is to determine who the best person is to execute a task," said German Air Force Maj. Marcel Schlereth, ME phase manager.

More than 300 Germans and Canadians, and an equal number of U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force are participating in ground operations, close-air support, urban combatives, convoy operations, basic fighter maneuvers, counter air and multiple air-to-air training scenarios.

"Virtually any contingency operation involving the U.S. Air Force will also involve joint partners and, in all probability, contain coalition partners," said Sen.

Earlier phases of German training are accomplished at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., where German aviators typically spend three years in continual training, exercising their capability with American partners at annual Mountain Roundups.

The exercise is really about certifying German Air Force commanders, while bolstering international interoperability.

"This really takes the best from Green Flag and Red Flag, and is a training opportunity I would not want to miss," said Schlereth.